Tag: Ireland

This is a short but fascinating book. Written in 1992 it details the growth of hard-line right-wing religious individuals and organisations and their efforts to keep Ireland Catholic. I’ll admit that the blurb sounds fairly conspiracy theory “Probes the shadowy world of the right-wing forces that plotted the 1983 referendum on abortion and the 1992 […]

The tactics, and at times, the sheer genius, of the conservative lobby came most sharply into focus during the 1986 divorce referendum. Here was an issue that which was not as clear-cut as abortion. … the tactics used were those of the marketing guru. Points of psychological vulnerability were isolated and played upon. The fear […]

Using Ireland as a case study, this book provides an account of the decline of matriarchal power in Western civilizations and analyzes its implications for today’s women and today’s Catholic Church. From the age of Eve to the age of Brigit to the age of Mary, the author traces the rise of patriarchial consciousness. Mary […]

There are nine breeds of dog that are native to Ireland: four terriers, three gun dogs, and two hounds. In The Curious History of Irish Dogs, David Blake Knox tells the remarkable stories of each of the nine breeds, and reveals how they have become inextricably linked with the people of Ireland. Irish Wolfhounds stalked […]

. It has been a long time since I’ve written anything on this blog that wasn’t a book or film review. I’ve been mainly sticking to tumblr for my randomness. But, I don’t know, I just wanted to put something up here about the death of Savita Halappanavar, and the whole abortion mess in Ireland. […]

I have a dilemma. See I find it very hard to support Wales in rugby. But this weekend they are playing France. And I really want France to lose… I’m just so conflicted! Obviously we are going to win in Twickenham. I mean, that does without saying. Doesn’t it? As for Italy v Scotland. Again […]

So weekend one of this year’s Six Nations is over and done with, verdicts all in? For the most part I think that the winning teams don’t have too much to write home about. We didn’t put in a huge performance, but we won, so it’ll do. And to be fair, we never seem to pile on the points against Italy. So all those “doom and gloom” commentators can hang on til next weekend. Then they turn those frowns upside down as we beat France.

I know you are all trés excited about this weekend. And any number of future weekends. Yes, that’s right by fellow rugby fans, the Six Nations is almost here. And already the meeja is hyped beyond belief. Will we win the Grand Slam for the second year in a row.

And so, of course, we are all entitled to our own points of view. But[1] sometimes don’t you think it’d be easier if we all thought the same way[2] Wouldn’t it make life so much easier? Think about it. No more contentious issues such as “who should we vote for” never mind “whose god is […]

Or so one of the papers put it. All I can say is OMFG! 2-1. Two-one!? First of all, we only managed to score two goals! and second of all we let San Marino score. San Ma-fucking-rino? There aren’t enough exclamation marks in the world to convey my shock. I mean, we all expected at […]

I know that I’ve watched some Laurel and Hardy films, they used to be on the telly around Christmas, but to be honest I really couldn’t tell you if they were any good. It was a long long time ago. But Stan & Ollie was getting good reviews and it was on in the cinema […]